Chief Ronal Serpas, as Chairman of the Emergency Communications Center Board of Directors, this afternoon announced that ECC Director RoxAnn Brown is receiving a three-day suspension for her failure to comply with specific board instructions as regards emergency medical dispatch policy.
Brown admits that she failed to create and implement “opt out” instructions that would allow ECC call takers to deviate from a prescribed list of patient assessment questions and begin an immediate ambulance response. An “opt out” policy was put into place last Friday at the immediate direction of the board, which believed Brown had implemented it months ago.
“While Director Brown acknowledges and understands her error, failing to follow the direction of the ECC Board is simply unacceptable,” Chief Serpas said. “Given Director Brown’s significant position of trust and duty, a three-day suspension is in order.”
In a telephone conversation this afternoon between Chief Serpas, Brown and Metro Human Resources Director Dot Berry, Brown decided to enter into a settlement agreement with the board in which she acknowledged violating civil service policy by neglecting supervisory orders. Brown accepted the three-day suspension, which, the board decided, may be deducted from Brown’s accumulated vacation.
“It is vitally important that our community understand that this disciplinary action resulted from a personnel issue, and in no way reflects on the tremendously dedicated ECC employees, who have exhibited countless examples of superior and excellent performance in their handling of millions of citizen calls for service,” Serpas said, noting that Nashville’s ECC has received national accreditation and awards by such organizations as the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) and the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch.
“I believe in the men and women of the ECC and the high quality service they provide. I also believe that today’s sanction will help Director Brown better appreciate the issue of accountability,” Serpas said.
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